So maybe my skirts aren't really your style. They weren't mine before, but I've come to really like them. But there are times when I'm pretty fucking sick of them, so here's another option. I used to dress more like, let's see, this:
This is some sushi and fried cream-cheese wontons I made for my boyfriend/now-husband Mr B back when I could actually eat the things I made. I favoured sleeker clothing because I'm young and people have a limited amount of years they can wear crap like this before their body decides it's going to take a nap.
I don't always wanna wear a cupcake skirt. I don't really appreciate giving across the impression that I think I'm just such a cute little girl ooo look at me. I guess with my surly attitude, nobody really gets that impression from me, but I'm afraid sometimes that they might, or maybe I'm just paranoid about it.
So are you sick of not being able to wear your old clothing? Me too. Fuck everything--I'm wearing what I want and I'm modifying it to suit my baggery needs.
The spatters on the mirror are, per usual, entirely my fault. I lean really close to the mirror to do my flossing and this is the result. I should have cleaned it before I took photos, but I'm running out of battery and had to snap them really fast. I took a stretchy-silky material T-shirt and cut it under the bust to use as my "skirt". Of course that was too large around my hips and bum, so I gathered all the excess material to one side and pinned it down. It creates gathers which are a great illusion to hide your bag. (Since this is pictured in the mirror, my bag is on the opposite side of the pin.)
Here I didn't want to be all gross, but I wanted to show you that you still look normal sitting down, too. That it's not all hugely bumpy and obvious, thanks to the clever little gathers. 
I find that wearing my bag sideways with tights over it tends to smooth it out a lot. I couldn't do that at the beginning, but not that the swelling has gone down, I can handle a little bit of stoma-mashing.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm back in two pairs of jeans. They're both high waisted (but NOT in the old-lady way-- more in the 40s style) and about a half size bigger than I would wear otherwise. The weight of the denim keeps things camouflaged pretty well as long as the bag doesn't fill too much.
I am living mostly in tights and fluffy skirts, but slim pants with oversized/long sweaters works pretty well too.
I find that anything where the waist band hits at my natural waist is most comfortable. Takes all the pressure off that squirmy little stoma! I still need to make myself a belt/wrap of some sort to contain my bag a little better. Chemo is just wearing me out. Pleth...
Oh, and since you tried to look at my livejournal way back when and found it locked, you might be pleased to know that I have a new, public journal to chronicle this journey. Hopefully it links properly... Actually, here's the link just in case:
http://lynch-lady.livejournal.com/
Nessabutterfly
I too usually, around the house, just wear leggings and a long sweater. My husband's sweater, actually, but it is rather chilly here in Vancouver and we have a limted heat source.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my leggings I've sewn so the top waist band hits my pelvic bone, dipping down BELOW my bag, leaving enough room for it and my bag holder. (I should really take some pictures of that sometime...) I've never liked the feeling of my bag shoved under tights and banging against my leg.... I kept imagining it leaking or bursting against my crotch--nightmares!!
Wiatband hitting natural waist is pretty much the way to go with skirts, I find.
Thank you for your livejournal link, and I think of you and send you good wishes every day as you go through chemo!
<3 <3 <3
Eventually I'll talk about ostomy fashion (and I'll link back here, cause you've got some great info!), but today I made my first "fashion" post and it had nothing to do with clothes! I had a wig fashion show for my daughter and took tons of pics! She loved it! Not so fun that my hair is falling out, but at least I still have the resources to look good!
ReplyDeleteAnd I totally know about the cold-- our house is so chilly too! I live in fuzzy chenille socks and sweaters or even my housecoat some days!
My only leaks so far have been if I oversleep-- so much gas at night-- arg! Sometimes when I sit up, it bunches against my thigh and the seal pops! (I leave it hanging loose inside my PJ pants so I can roll over in bed without tugging it, but it still has lots of room to fully expand) I know you're a one piece fan, but I'd never get through the day without being able to burp my bag. I could probably make some diet changes, but there's so much I can't have already that I just deal with the consequences. It's more important to get something into me! (A Wendy's homestyle chicken sandwhich was the only food that could break through my food aversions with this round of chemo. The nurses scolded, but I was so proud of myself for finally having eaten something!!)
I still plan to make myself some sort of bag holder, but I'm so lazy. I just fold up the bottom of the bag and tuck the fold under the band of my underwear. It shrinks the available space in the bag, but I don't want it any fuller than that anyway! I just need the full space at night. My leggings or pants hold it steady. On the rare occasions that I'm bare legged, I use my "belly band" from when I was pregnant (a tube of stretchy fabric) to hold the bag smoothly against me. I feel more secure when it's close for some reason. And the spout end is on the outside with the bulk of the bag between me and it-- a leak could get on my clothing, but not on me (unless it was an all-out explosion).
The other reason why I prefer things above my bag rather than below is that my leggings would fall off entirely if they were below. My butt is big enough that they slide down it and I'm always hiking them up. If they weren't above my hip-bone at the front, I'd have no hope of keeping them where they belong. I need to make more of my own leggings. Store-bought ones are always too short anyway. Might as well make them higher in the back too. They never give room for a butt! I'm skin and bones, but I still have a *little* bit of padding on my butt. It IS bigger than the front end, yet they never seem to design leggings as though butts exist!
Just found your blog today and I must say I enjoy reading through your posts... I'm 19 and I have to have a total colectomy and have my rectum removed as well coming up in April thanks to stupid colorectal cancer and a gene that I have. Anyways everything I've read so far has been extremely helpful in letting me know what it's gonna be like having an ileostomy! Also, your fashion is incredible, I'm so jealous of all the clothes you have in your pictures!
ReplyDeleteHey! Sorry to hear about you needing to get an ileo, but most def keep me updated on your progress. I can share any tips/tricks or whatever with you, and even hospital experience.
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ReplyDeleteHope so that your life is going smooth after your surgery. You can simply use Ostomy Lingerie, as one of my family member is also using it. It has been specially designed for this purpose. Hope so that you will find it helpful.
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